Posted on November, 25, 2024 at 08:28 am
In response to the increasing challenges posed by climate change, a solar-powered irrigation system has been launched and installed in Ssango, Buwama subcounty, Mawokota county, Mpigi district to help smallholder farmers increase their agricultural productivity.
The equipment was installed at the Buganda Kingdom—Child Welfare and Adoption Society Farm.
The solar-powered irrigation system is part of a wider project dubbed “Enhancing Irrigation to Improve Climate Adaptation and Sustain Smallholder Production Systems in Uganda,” funded by the government of Denmark through the Danida Green Business Partnerships Program.
The project aims to promote climate-smart agriculture by enhancing irrigation, improving climate adaptation, and sustaining smallholder production systems in Uganda.
Handed over by a consortium of partners including the East African Grain Council (EAGC), the Danish Embassy in Uganda, Akvo International, Grundfos, and Access2innovation, the modern irrigation system is particularly significant as it addresses the pressing issues of prolonged droughts, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and other climate-induced adversities.
By harnessing solar energy, the system provides a sustainable and reliable water supply, enabling farmers to increase crop yields and mitigate the impact of erratic weather conditions.
The Danish Ambassador to Uganda, Signe Winding Albjerg, said that the equipment will not only empower small-scale farmers and families in the area, but also act as a training ground on irrigation for many others in the greater Masaka region.
The solar-powered irrigation system will be of great importance to the farmers as Uganda still faces increasing climate variability, with significant impact on agricultural productivity.
Uganda’s agriculture sector is the lifeline of millions of households. The sector employs over 70% of Ugandans, many of whom are smallholder farmers, and contributes immensely to the country’s national income.
Despite its significance, Uganda’s agricultural sector is increasingly under threat from the impacts of climate variability. Unpredictable rainfall, prolonged droughts, and shifting growing seasons continue to erode productivity and threaten food security. These challenges are particularly felt by smallholder farmers, who contribute the largest share of Uganda’s agricultural output but are often the most vulnerable.
Ambassador Albjerg said the system will immensely reduce the farmers’ vulnerability to the effects of climate change.
“The smallholder farmers, who contribute the majority of agricultural output, are particularly vulnerable to the increasing impacts of climate change and variability, such as irregular rainy seasons and prolonged periods of drought. Irrigation will help make societies less vulnerable to these changes,” she said.
A solar-powered irrigation solution is climate-smart because it uses drip irrigation technology, which is water-efficient, and a soil conservation practice.
“All these contribute to climate change adaptation among your farmers,” the Ambassador said.
The initiative not only underscores the importance of adapting to climate change but also highlights the potential of renewable energy in transforming agricultural practices.
The East African Grain Council Country Manager, Uganda, Paul Ochuna, said the launch and installation of the solar-powered irrigation system is timely as it will provide a practical solution to the water management challenges facing farmers while showcasing the role of technology in driving agricultural transformation.
Climate-smart solutions such as the irrigation system open new avenues for agricultural productivity, food security, and economic growth.
The solar-powered irrigation system installed in Mawokota is the second of three demonstration systems planned under the project, with the first successfully installed in Soroti and the third scheduled for Mubende.
Ochuna said the system will provide a practical solution to the water management challenges facing farmers while showcasing the role of technology in driving agricultural transformation.
“Through this project, we aim to demonstrate that climate-smart solutions like this irrigation system can open new avenues for agricultural productivity, food security, and economic growth,” Ochuna said.
“To the farmers, this system is for you. It is a practical demonstration of how technology can make your farms more productive, your livelihoods more secure, and your communities more resilient,” he added.
The Speaker of the Buganda Kingdom Parliament (Lukiiko), Patrick Luwaga Mugumbule, who represented Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga, said Buganda is one of the country’s subregions that is hardly hit by droughts and therefore urged farmers in all the 18 counties of Buganda to visit the demonstration farm (Child Welfare and Adoption Society Farm) and learn how the solar-powered irrigation system helps farmers achieve higher agricultural productivity even during dry seasons.
“We have several seasons in Buganda. Mostly, the dry season is longer than the rainy season. We are in the rainy season now, but the dry season will come, and it will have a big impact on our farmers. Since this is a demonstration farm, I call upon all people in Buganda to come here and learn so that you get better yields. We suffer with drought in Buganda and even other regions, but if we embrace this technology that has been introduced here, we can get better yields,” he said.
Source: Chim Reports